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The family of a 14-year-old girl who went missing a week ago in North York is speaking out and urging anyone with information to reach out.
Esther was last seen in the area of Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road, south of Highway 401, on Saturday at 12:01 a.m., police said in a news release Thursday.
They said Esther has been diagnosed as being on the spectrum.
Recent information suggests she was wearing a long-sleeved turquoise sweater with words on the front and is still wearing grey pants, Duty Insp. Jon Rose told reporters Thursday.
“We want Esti home. She’s been gone too long,” said relative Lolly Herman on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning Friday.
Esther’s parents and other relatives are desperate to have her back home, she said.
Herman said the family is urging people in the community to check their recording devices, backyards and even inside sheds to see if they can find any sign of Esther.
“We need to bring her home and we’re working day and night to make that happen,” she said.
Earlier this week, police upgraded their search to a Level 1 operation, which is the highest level. That means police can deploy such resources as its canine, mounted and marine units.
While police have not provided details on what prompted the upgrade in this case, they say that out of nearly 3,100 missing person reports last year, only five were Level 1 searches.
Toronto police set up a dedicated phone line Thursday at (647) 355-4148 to collect tips from the public as they intensify their search.
